Term 2 Week 7 Recipes

 
Pumpkin Gnocchi

Recipe source: Teresa Oates (mangiamangia.com.au)- Stephanie Alexander Foundation
This dish is a sweeter, more colourful version of the traditional potato gnocchi and is a great way to use any excess pumpkin throughout autumn.
Ingredients:

• 800 g potatoes
• 400 g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 5-cm cubes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp water
• 300 g plain 00 flour, plus extra for kneading and dusting
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 125 g butter
• 10 sage leaves, torn
• 1 tbsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 125 g parmesan cheese, grated

What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Prepare all of the ingredients based on the instructions in the ingredients list.
3. *Boil the potatoes in their skins for 35 minutes until cooked and soft. Drain
and set aside to cool slightly before peeling.
4. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and sprinkle over the olive oil and water.
Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 35 minutes until cooked and soft.
5. In the large bowl, mash the potato and pumpkin until smooth. Alternatively,
pass the pumpkin and potato through a potato ricer, which will result in a
more even texture. Do not over-mash, or the potato will become too gluey
and your gnocchi will not be light.
6. Place the flour on a clean surface and empty the mashed potato and
pumpkin over the flour. Add the nutmeg.
Lightly knead the mixture until a soft dough forms. You may need a little
extra flour to prevent the mixture from sticking.
8. Cut the dough into four even pieces, then roll each piece into a 3-cm wide
log. Using the butter knife, cut the logs at 3 cm intervals to create gnocchi.
9. Dust the cut gnocchi with a little more flour to prevent them from sticking.
Lay the gnocchi out on a baking tray dusted with flour.
10. Melt the butter in the large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sage
leaves and cook until the butter has slightly browned and the sage leaves
are crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
11. *Bring a large stockpot of water to the boil. Add the salt, then carefully
add the gnocchi to the pot, making sure they do not stick together
(dropping them in individually will help).
12. The gnocchi are cooked when they rise to the surface. Using the slotted
spoon, remove the gnocchi and place directly into the frying pan with the
sage and butter.
13. Return the frying pan to a low heat and gently stir to heat through and
ensure that the sauce covers all of the gnocchi.
14. Serve the gnocchi in the pot with the grated parmesan sprinkled over
the top.
 

 
 
Plain rich shortcrust pastry

Pâte brisée à l’oeuf
By Margaret Fulton
This pastry is crisper and more moisture-proof than plain shortcrust. Use it for quiches and other pies and tarts with rich fillings. It is also ideal to use when making individual savoury or fruit tartlets or barquettes. Sweet rich shortcrust (see Variations) can be used for fruit tarts and tartlets.
Ingredients

• 225g plain flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 125g chilled butter, diced
• 1 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons iced water
• lemon juice, squeezed

Method
Make pastry in same way as for Plain Shortcrust Pastry, using egg yolk mixed with water and lemon juice as the liquid. Unless otherwise indicated in the recipe, bake in a preheated 190°C oven.Larger pastry shells
 For a 25 cm pastry shell or a two-crust 20–23 cm pie, follow the recipe for Plain Rich Shortcrust Pastry, using 2 cups plain flour, a large pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 185 g butter, 1 egg yolk, about 1 tablespoon iced water and a squeeze of lemon juice. For a two-crust pie, use a little more than half the dough for the bottom crust, and the remainder for the lid. Scraps can be used to decorate the pie if liked.
Sweet rich shortcrust pastry  
 Follow the recipe for Plain Rich Shortcrust Pastry, beating 2 teaspoons caster sugar with the egg and water before mixing with the dry ingredients.


Shortcrust pastry in the food processor  
 Place 2 cups plain flour, 185 g diced frozen butter or firm cooking margarine and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process, turning on and off rapidly, until the butter is cut into the flour and the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Mix 1 egg with about 2 tablespoons cold water and a squeeze of lemon juice. With the motor running, pour the liquid quickly through the feed tube. Do not use it all unless necessary – stop pouring as soon as a ball of dough forms around the blade. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour before using. Bake as for Plain Rich Shortcrust Pastry. For a sweet pastry, add 1/3 cup caster sugar to the processor with the flour, butter and salt. Makes enough to line two 18–20 cm pie plates or flan tins.

Mandarin curd tartlets

http://www.taste.com.au
 
5 minutes to prep
10 minutes to cook
 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon cornflour
  
• ½ cup juice and 1 teaspoon finely grated rind of 4 mandarins
• < >1/2 cup (125g) caster sugar
• 50g butter, chopped

 
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C. Using a 7.5cm cutter, cut 8 rounds of pastry. Press into 8 tartlet pans. Prick bases using a fork. Bake for 8-10 mins. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
 
 Step 2
Bring a saucepan half filled with water to the boil. In a heatproof bowl, blend cornflour with a little juice until smooth. Whisk in remaining juice, rind, eggs and sugar. Reduce heat. Place bowl over pan. Make sure water doesn't touch base of the bowl. Whisk constantly for 5 mins, gradually adding butter until the curd is thick. Cool, then spoon into cases and serve.